Book Deals for the Book Publishing Industry

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Amazon Publishing has acquired the publication rights of 35 titles in the 87th Precinct Series-including "The Con Man" and "The Mugger"-by author Ed McBain. These books will be published by the Thomas & Mercer imprint in print, digital and audio formats starting in Fall 2011. In addition to the 87th Precinct titles, Thomas & Mercer will publish 12 titles in McBain's Matthew Hope series starting in Spring 2012. These 12 books will be published in digital and audio format, with most of the 12 available in print format. This is the first time any of these books have been available digitally for readers. Jane Gelfman of Gelfman Schneider Literary Agents, Inc. represented the estate of Ed McBain in this deal.

Ed McBain was a pseudonym of Evan Hunter, who passed away in 2005. McBain won the Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement from the Mystery Writers of America in 1986, and he was the first American to receive the Crime Writers Association of Great Britain's Cartier Diamond Dagger award. He is the author of the popular 87th Precinct and Matthew Hope series. With more than 100 million books sold worldwide, McBain was praised by critics and fellow writers. "The wit, the pacing, his relish for the drama of human diversity [are] what you remember about the McBain novels," the Philadelphia Inquirer once said of his writing. People Magazine simply observed that "Ed McBain is, by far, the best at what he does. Case closed."

Samhain Horror has signed several horror authors--both established authors and exciting new voices--to its line, launching October, 2011. Following a launch list that includes Horror Master Ramsey Campbell, David Searls and Maynard Sims will release new books in January, 2012.

Samhain Publishing is an international publisher of ebook and traditional print fiction. One of the most prominent voices of original ebook fiction, Samhain represents some of today's brightest authors of romance and horror fiction. To learn why at Samhain "it's all about the story...", visit Samhain Publishing online at http://www.samhainpublishing.com.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Scholastic has acquired world rights to Game Changers, a series of hardcover novels for middle-grade readers written by prominent sports columnist Mike Lupica, to launch in May 2012. Lupica brings his expertise, signature style and New York Times bestselling success to a younger audience with an exciting series that follows reoccurring characters and spans three different sports kids love, football, basketball and baseball. The deal was negotiated by Esther Newberg from International Creative Management for Mike Lupica and Debra Dorfman, Vice President Publisher for Paperbacks, Non-fiction and Licensing, from Scholastic.

Simon and Schuster announced that Jaycee Dugard’s memoir, "A Stolen Life," sold a combined total of 175,000 copies on Tuesday, July 12, the first day it went on sale. This includes print books, audio books and nearly 100,000 eBooks, a new company record for one-day eBook sales. Simon and Schuster has already gone back on press five times for a total of 425,000 copies in print.

The screenplay, which depicts an apocalyptic scenario in which the Earth's women are being destroyed, was penned by Shapiro from a story created by him and Jordan. The filmmakers' debut picture, a time-bending psycho thriller called RULE OF THREE, is being distributed by BSEG worldwide.

Wednesday, July 06, 2011

Buyer Group International, Inc. announced their most recent venture, collaborating with up and coming fiction writer Alexandrea Weis on two screenplays, "Blood Will Tell" and "Treasures in Hiding." Additionally, Buyer Group International, Inc. has obtained the motion picture rights for Weis second novel, the romantic thriller "Recovery" (ISBN 453875700). Buyer Group International, Inc. is hoping to secure future screenplays by seeking options on this up and coming writer's fiction novel.

Weis offers a fresh perspective with charismatic characters and unique, edgy story lines that fill the void of interesting content that the Motion Picture Industry lacks in the current market.

Ms. Weis' first novel in the Nicci Beauvoir series, "To My Senses," and third novel, "Sacrifice," due out later this year, are also currently under review. Both screenplays are currently in pre-production

Disney-Hyperion Books, an imprint of Disney Publishing Worldwide, has acquired the eighth and final installment of internationally best-selling author Eoin Colfer's hit Artemis Fowl series. Colfer will also helm a new series for the publisher in an additional two-book deal. The agreement for North American rights was negotiated by Stephanie Owens Lurie, Editorial Director, Disney-Hyperion, and Sophie Hicks, Ed Victor, Ltd.

The final Artemis Fowl book—The Last Guardian—will be published in Summer 2012. The first book in the brand-new W.A.R.P series, The Reluctant Assassin, will be published in Winter 2013. The assassin of the title is young Riley, who has fallen into the FBI's W.A.R.P.—Witness Anonymous Relocation Program—after a murderous escapade with a Victorian illusionist. Riley is transported to modern-day London, where he must both evade the illusionist and keep him from returning to Victorian times, where, with his new knowledge of all things scientific and technological, he could literally change the world. Additional W.A.R.P. books will follow every year.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Glenn Beck's multi-media production company Mercury Radio Arts and Simon and Schuster, Inc., are are extending their global multi-book, multi-imprint co-publishing agreement. The renewal builds on the incredible success and many milestones the two companies have enjoyed since the 2003 publication of THE REAL AMERICA, including Beck's joining the select group of authors who have placed #1 New York Times bestsellers on both the fiction and non-fiction lists.

Beck, the author of seven consecutive #1 bestsellers spanning multiple genres and formats-- including fiction, non-fiction, self-help, and children's picture books, trade paperback and audio originals-- will continue to write numerous books every year. As in the past, Beck and Mercury's focus will be on creating a robust publishing program that offers readers a broad selection of titles in a wide range of categories. The first title under the renewed agreement, a trade paperback non-fiction title, The Original Argument: The Federalists' Case for the Constitution, Adapted for the 21st Century, goes on sale June 14, 2011. A new novel by Beck, THE SNOW ANGEL, will be published in October.

Beck's titles will continue to be published internationally by Simon and Schuster's publishing companies in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, and in audio from Simon and Schuster Audio.

Mercury is also launching Mercury Ink, a new division that will discover, publish and promote books and authors that Glenn is passionate about across a variety of genres. The division will be run by Kevin Balfe, Mercury's SVP of Publishing, who will acquire titles for the imprint. Mercury Ink titles will be co-published with Simon & Schuster.

Mercury Ink's first title is Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25, a young adult novel by #1 New York Timesbestselling author Richard Paul Evans.

Thursday, June 09, 2011

Brighton Publishing announced the signing of author David Warren for his new book "Jest."

Writing in a style reminiscent of the early Stephen King masterpieces, David Warren establishes his own unique voice and striking originality, giving Mr. King a worthy competitor. As the story builds, it takes a number of sharp turns, heading off in unexpected and fearsome directions. Providing old-fashioned page turning suspense, and concluding with a totally unexpected ending, it doles out fear in ample portions.

The story is about Nicole Carzon who is an average, young college student, trying to cope with everyday life and an alcoholic father. Her life has not been easy since her mother left; in reality, it was the source of the problem. Nevertheless, everything changed the day she received the letter. Her grandfather, having been estranged with his own son for years, shocks everyone when he bypasses her father and names Nicole as heir to his castle in England.

With an angry father and the summer off, Nicole and her friends decide now is the perfect time to fly overseas and visit the castle. Once they arrive, they are overwhelmed with the history and nostalgia pulsating from the 600-year-old Bodlum Castle. However, as Nicole and her friends soon come to realize, this castle has an ancient occupant. One that has been lying dormant and patiently waiting for hundreds of years…but waits no longer.

Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's Trade and Reference Division will publish Small Memories, the early life memoir of the late José Saramago, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1998. The book comes out just a month before the one-year anniversary of the author's death.

The Independent (UK) praises Saramago's memoir of his early life, calling it an "homage to [his] family and homeland, but also…the endlessly renewable life of the mind." The Business Post (Ireland) calls the book, "Small memories, perhaps, but a small masterpiece, too."

Born in Portugal in 1922 in the tiny village of Azinhaga, Saramago was only eighteen months old when he moved with his father and mother to live in a series of cramped lodgings in a working-class neighborhood of Lisbon. He returned to Azinhaga throughout his youth to stay with his illiterate but world-wise grandparents.

Shifting back and forth between the village and the city, Small Memories is a mosaic of Saramago's family memories and earliest encounters with literature--from the tragic death of his older brother at the age of four, to the first novel that made an impression on him, the melodramatic Maria, Fairy of the Forest. Small Memories traces the formation of an individual who emerged, against all odds, from a car mechanic in Lisbon to one of the world's most respected writers.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is also offering The Collected Novels of José Saramago exclusively in e-book form. This collection, which includes twelve novels and one novella along with an introductory essay by Ursula K. Le Guin, showcases the range and depth of Saramago's career.

José Saramago was the author of many novels, among them Blindness, All the Names, Baltasar and Blimunda, and The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis. He died at his home in the Canary Islands in 2010.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

HarperCollins Children's Books announced today that it has acquired world rights to THE FAME GAME, a new series by Lauren Conrad--television star, fashion designer and author of the #1 New York Timesbestselling L.A. Candy. THE FAME GAME takes place in the world of reality TV and its fashionable starlets, and features a favorite character from L.A. Candy.

Madison Parker made a name for herself as best frenemy of girl-next-door-turned-reality-celeb Jane Roberts in the L.A. Candy books. Now she's ready for her turn in the spotlight and she'll stop at nothing to get it. But with backstabbing friends and family, relentless paparazzi, and tabloid scandals she can't control, Madison is going to have her work cut out for her.

The deal was negotiated by Farrin Jacobs, Editorial Director at HarperCollins Children's Books and Literary Agent Matthew Elblonk of DeFiore & Company, with Max Stubblefield at UTA. The first book in the three-book series will be published in Winter 2012.

Filled with characters both familiar (producer Trevor Lord and sister-from-hell Sophia) and new (Carmen, daughter ofHollywood royalty, and Jill, a struggling musician), Lauren Conrad's THE FAME GAME dishes gossip and drama at every turn.

In 2009, Lauren made her authorial debut with L.A. Candy, the behind-the-scenes story of a young girl who moves to L.A. and becomes the star of a reality television show. The first in the series, L.A. Candy was a #1 New York Times bestseller. The follow-up book, Sweet Little Lies, was also a #1 New York Times bestseller. The paperback of Sugar and Spice goes on sale this week, and contains a sneak peek at Conrad's new series, THE FAME GAME.